Selasa, 28 Mei 2013

Champions League Team of the Season

Following Bayern Munich's final triumph, Goal looks back at a memorable
campaign, picking out the 11 players who made the difference and kept us
firmly on the edge of our seats

Another enthralling season of Champions League action has ended after Bayern Munich's dramatic 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.

Bayern's
triumph in the all-German final caps a remarkable continental campaign
in which we saw favourites Barcelona and Real Madrid crash out in the
semi-finals and no Premier League sides make it past the first knockout
round.

Our team, selected in a 4-2-3-1 formation, has a few key
parameters. Players must have played on the side of the pitch they are
listed in positionally for their clubs over the course of the
tournament, while the 11 players were selected from the list of top
performers for each position on our player ratings index. Only players
who reached the quarter-finals or further were considered.

Here is Goal's Champions League Team of the Season:

GOALKEEPER

WILLY CABALLERO

MALAGA

Debutants Malaga were the tournament's surprise package this
season, blitzing their way into the quarter-finals before they were
controversially defeated by Dortmund having had one foot in the last
four.

Key to their performances was Argentine goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
The shot-stopper's displays in both legs against Jurgen Klopp's side
were inspirational and the reason they came so close to progression.

DEFENCE

PHILIPP LAHM

LEONARDO BONUCCI

THIAGO SILVA

GIORGIO CHIELLINI

BAYERN MUNICH

JUVENTUS

PSG

JUVENTUS

Philipp Lahm was the man who lifted the
trophy for Bayern Munich after another season when he proved himself to
be right up there with the game's most consistent full-backs.
Outstanding in both legs against Barcelona in the semi-finals.

Italian champions Juventus conceded only eight goals from 10 games in the tournament and key to those performances was Leonardo Bonucci
as Antonio Conte's men progressed to the quarter-finals before falling
to the eventual winners. Edged out Dante for selection after the
Brazilian's poor showing in the final.

Meanwhile, Paris
Saint-Germain impressed in the tournament under coach Carlo Ancelotti,
reaching the last eight where they only suffered a narrow away-goals
defeat to Barcelona. Thiago Silva again underlined his
credentials as one of the world's best centre-backs with a string of
solid displays, including against the Catalans.

Alongside Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini
ensured Juventus' defence was a formidable obstacle for Champions
League attackers this season. Chiellini slots in at left-back given that
he played on the left-hand side of the Turin side's back-three.

MIDFIELD

BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER

ARTURO VIDAL

BAYERN MUNICH

JUVENTUS

ARJEN ROBBEN

MARIO GOTZE

CRISTIANO RONALDO

BAYERN MUNICH

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

REAL MADRID

Bastian Schweinsteiger played
alongside Javi Martinez at the base of Bayern's midfield to provide the
cornerstone of the German club's success this season. The duo were vital
in orchestrating the progress over Juventus and Barcelona, before
combining again in the final to help them to victory.

Arturo Vidal's
all-action performances in midfield have made him indispensable to
Antonio Conte if Juventus are to build a squad that can go further than
the last eight next time around. He played a crucial role in dumping out
holders Chelsea in the group stages, scoring against the Blues home and
away.

Big-game failure had become synonymous with Arjen Robben
until Saturday's final at Wembley. Indecision in the first half failed
to knock the Dutchman out of his stride as he set up Bayern's opener and
then scored the priceless late winner to defeat Dortmund and cap what
has been an excellent individual tournament.

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Mario Gotze.
After announcing he would be joining his current club's rivals Bayern,
he suffered an injury in the semi-finals which saw him ruled out of the
final. But that should not overshadow the huge role he played throughout
Dortmund's run to Wembley, with his creative performance in the 4-1 win
over Real Madrid still firmly etched in the public's consciousness.

It was another prolific campaign for Cristiano Ronaldo
in Europe, with his Champions League goals tally now sitting at a round
50 for his career. Scored in both legs of an emotional victory over
Manchester United in the last 16 and ended the competition with 12 goals
and the Golden Boot award.

ATTACK

LIONEL MESSI

BARCELONA

Lionel Messi may not have added another
Champions League winners' medal to his collection this season, but he
was highly effective again in Europe's elite club competition. Was
inspirational in getting his side past PSG in the last eight and his
fitness worries proved costly against Bayern in the last four. Finished
up with eight goals to take his overall tournament tally to 59 as he
closes in on Raul at the top of the all-time top goalscorers' list.